Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Queen Camilla is set to “finally get her own back” on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with the launch of her new project, The Reading Room podcast.
After stepping down from the Royal Family in 2020 and relocating to the US, Harry and Meghan signed a number of lucrative deals with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Spotify.
However last summer it was announced that Archewell Audio and the streaming giant had parted ways after just one series of Meghan’s podcast Archetypes, consisting of 12 episodes.
The Queen’s Reading Room podcast is following in the footsteps of her hugely successful online book club, with the new series likely to ruffle feathers over in Montecito, according to a source.
Camilla was the target of much of Harry’s ire in his memoir Spare, as he branded his stepmother a “villain” and “dangerous” and accused her of leaking stories to the press.
While she has never publicly responded to these allegations, an expert has claimed that by excelling in one area where the Sussexes failed the Queen can subtly get her own back.
Denise Palmer Davies, brand expert and director of Borne Media, told Fabulous: “After all the hurtful things Harry has said about Camilla, she has finally got her own back on them.
“If her podcast does well, and I am sure it will, she will have achieved in an area they so desperately wanted to succeed in, then that is the perfect revenge.”
The expert added: “I bet Meghan in particular will be livid over the whole thing, and probably a bit embarrassed that hers fell at the first hurdle.”
Camilla will be joined by fellow avid readers and writers Dame Joanna Lumley, Ian Rankin, David Baddiel and Elif Shafak on her new series, with the first episode dropping on January 8.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown Camilla set up her online book club and Instagram page, which saw her sharing the literature she loved with her fans.
Royal expert Jennie Bond told Fabulous: “We have learned in the past couple of years that reading has been a passion for Camilla since her childhood and this is a way of sharing that love.
“In a hectic world so dominated by short form social media messages – and giving us attention spans of a gnat – it is a noble aim to encourage children and adults to enjoy a good, long read.”
Camilla will not benefit financially from the podcast, and Ms Bond added that the project is unlikely to be intended as revenge against Harry and Meghan.
She explained: “It wouldn’t have been any part of Camilla’s decision to launch this podcast, she is better than that. I very much doubt that she gives Meghan much thought – she is far too busy making a resounding success of her new role.”